Valve



April 13, 1937- A. G. H'E'GGEM 2,076,841

` VALVE Filed Deo. 19, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3W z/f Z/ April .13, 1937.

VALVE Filed Dec? 19, 1956 A. G. Hl-:GGEM

' l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented 4Apr. 111i,-v 1937 UNITED `STATES vALvl-z Alfred G. heggen, Tulsa. Okla., assigner of one third to Ed D. Ligon and one-third to William l Q. Ligen, both of Tulsa, Okla.

Application December 19, 1936, Serial No. 116,798

8 Claims.

My invention relates to valves, and has particular reference to a novel valve construction in which a valve coreor uid controlling member is rotated and also rocked or tilted within a valve body during the movements of said valve core or member to open and/or-closed position.

In United States Letters Patent 1,989,009 granted to me under date of Jan. 22, 1935, and in several applications now pending in the United States Patent O ilice, such as my applications Serial No. 9,115 filed March 2, 1935;; Serial No. 48,737 illed Nov. 7, 1935 and Serial No. 48,738 filed Nov. 7, 1935, I have disclosed and claimed a novel valve construction including a valve body having inlet and outlet openings and a valve chamber communicating with said openings; a valve core disposed within the chamber and rotatable therein; a valve stem rotatable with respect to the valve body; and means controlled by the rotation of the valve stem for alternately rotating and tilting the valve core. The combined rotating and tilting action of the valve core as presented in my aforesaid patent and applications,

constitutes an important development in the art of valve constructions, and affords a highly ef` cient and reliable means for controlling the flow of iluids, due tothe ease of rotation of the valve core and the positive sealing or seating action effected by the tilting movement of the valve core into contact with its cooperating valve seat. Valves of this general type in which the valve core or fluid-controlling member partakes.

of a compound m'tion of rotative and non-rotative movements sequentially or alternately, pro. vide a highly satisfactory and eliicient means for controlling uid ow, and such a valve is especially suitable for use in the control of uids operating under relatively-high pressures, such as the pressures frequently encountered in oil and gas wells, pipe lines and other high pressure installations. Y

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a novel valve construction of the above-mentioned character in whichthe saquential andv alternate rotative and non-rotative movements of the valve core are effected by means which are materially simplified with' respect to the means shown in my aforesaid patent and ap plicaticns, which simplicity and reduction in the number of parts in no way detracts from th eiectiveness or eiiiciency o f the valve.

l Itis an ,o/biect of my presentinvention t provide-avenge construction of the above-mentioned character and including a combined rotating and tilting valve core, and to associate with said valve core to aline the opening therethrough with the inlet and outlet openings in the valve body as direction to close the valve, to cause an initial rotation of the valve core to move the opening therethrough-out of alinement with the inlet and outlet openings in the valve body and a Asubsequent tilting of the valve core to move the ,flow-restricting portionthereof into ilrm and positive engagement with the cooperating valve seat. y l

-It is a further object of my present invention to provide a novel operating mechanism of the type above referred to forl alternately rotating and tilting the valve core about its mounting in the valve chamber, and including a valve stem of simple form capable ofy rotary and axial movementsrotatlon o! the valve stem eecting a corresponding rotation of the valve core and axial l movement of said valve stem effecting tilting movement of said valve core toward or away from Je its cooperating valve seat,Z the said valve steinv having ,inclined surfaces which engage ,the said valve core and having't a ltonnection with the valve casing, the construction and assembly being such that `the inclined surfaceson the valve stem will -eiect tilting movement of the valve core upon axial movement of said valve stem, and the connection between the valve stem and valve casing will eect rotary movement of thef'valve stem and the valve core to which it is connected.

vIt `is a still further object or my present invention to provide a valve of the above mentioned character which :lsv simple in construction and operation, easy. to assemble and disassemble; strong` and durable, capable oi withstanding relativly/lighfpressures, and highly edicient in pose of illustration, I have shown a preferred em- 4 bodlment of my invention,

the said valve core is moved to open position, and, A1g; when the valve handle is moved in the opposite firm and positive contact with the cooperating.

valve seat,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3--3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4`is a fragmentary, central, vertical sectional view of the valve sho'wn in Figs. l and 2, showing the relation of parts when thel valve core has been rotated and tilted to fully` closed position, and,

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the 4 line 5 5 of Figure l.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters have been'employed to designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral I designates, broadly, the valve body, comprising an upper section 2 and a lower section 3, which sections are detachably secured together by a series of studs, bolts or nuts 4. The lower section 3 of the valve body is provided with a circularly-curved chamber 5, communicating with which are passages 0 and 'I for the outflow and inflow, respectively, of the fluid to be controlled by the valve.' These passages l and l are disposed in axial `alinement and are preferably interiorly threaded to permit the valve to be screwed on to a well casing, pipe or the like, this construction, because of the axial alinement of the inlet and outlet passages and the construction of the preferred form of valve core to be hereinafter described, being admirably suited for use as a well casing valve, where it is frequently desired to operate the bits or other drilling or pumping tools directly 'through the valve and without the necessity of removing the valve from the casing. 'I'he outlet passage l is preferably provided with a machined, valve seat insert 8 positioned at the inner end of said passage. The

wall defining the bottom of the chamber I is provided with aV centrally-located, circular recess 9. f

The chamber I within the lower section 3, is open at the top to permit the introduction of a valve core Ill, which core is formed with a passage II cylindrical throughout its length and of a diameter corresponding substantially to that of the passages 3 and I of the valve body so as to f afford a straight, uninterrupted passage for fluid when the valve is in open position. One of the flat, imperforate side portions of the valve core Ill 'is machined to form a tapered valve face I2,

which valve face is of suillcient extent to border,

the inner margin of the passage 6 and is so machined as to cooperate with the valve seat I, to effect a fluid-tight seal or closure when said face is moved into ilrm contact with said seat. The lower surface of the valve core I0 is provided with a centrally-located trunnion I3, the outer face of which is slightlyfcurved, this trunnion iltting into the recess 3. The upper surface of the valve core Il is provided with a centrallylocated, non-circular, preferably squared opening I4, disposed in axial alinement with the trunnion I3. It is to be noted particularly that the overall length of the valve core Il, in a direction parallel to the axis of the passage II therethrough, i. e., as viewed in Fig. 1 of the accoml panying drawings, is less than the diameter of the chamber 5 and slightly less than the distance between the opposed inner ends of the outlet passage I and the inlet passage 1. Hence, the valve core Il may be readily inserted within and removed from the chamber 5 through the upper open end thereof."

The valve core III above described is rotatable with respect to the vvalve body I so as to bring its passage II into and out of axial alinement with the passages 8 and 'I of the valve body, and said core is also capable of tilting or rockingabout its vertical axis so as to cause the tapered I valve face i2 to move -into and out of tight sealing contact with the valve seat 8 at the inner end of the outlet passage 8 -of the valve body. My .present invention relates primarily tothe mechanism for effecting the aforesaid rotary and tilting movements of the valve core I0 as the said valve core is moved to open or closed position.

The upper section 2,of the valve body I is provided with a centrally-located bore or chamber I5, circular in cross section and of substantial length, it being noted that when the sections 2 and 3 are assembled, the axis of the said bore or chamber I5 is in vertical alinement with the axis ofv rotation of the valve core member I0, which axis of rotation passes through the center of the trunnion I3 and through the square opening I4 in the top of the valve core I0. Above the bore or chamber I5 Just referred to, I provide a grease compartment I6, which compartment is supplied with lubricant through an opening Il provided with a grease gun fitting I3. Above the grease compartment I6 and extending through the upper end of the section 2, I provide a packing socket I9 containing a suitable packing 20 adapted to be compressed within said socket by means of a nut or screw-threaded foilower 2|.

Surrounding the upper end ofthe section 2 is an upwardly extending, verticallyvv split, two part support or spider 22, comprising two similar sections 23 and 24, each provided with cooperating, apertured lugs or projections (not shown) through which are passed suitable clamping bolts by means of which the two sections are rigidly clamped together to retain the said support or spider 22 in position within a circumferentially extending groove 26 provided on the upper end of the section 2. 'I'he upper end of the support or spider 22 is apertured to provide a bearing for a sleeve 23 constituting the hub portion of a valve-wheel or handle 2l, this sleeve or hub 26 being internally screw-threaded and being free to rotate within the said support or spider 22.

The valve stem 28 which functions to effect by its reciprocation, the rotation and rocking or tilting movements of the valve core I0, comprises an extemally-threaded upper section 29, the threads of which cooperate with the internal threads of the hub portion 26 of the valve-wheel 0r handle 21; a straight, cylindrical section 30; an enlarged, cylindrical land section 3l of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the bore or chamber I5; a transverse pin 32; and a non-cir cular, preferably squared lower section including an inclined portion 33 immediately below the land section 3|, and a straight portion 34, which straight portion 34 is, due to the inclined portion 33, offset laterally with respect to the vertical axis of the remaining sections of the valve stem. 'I'he preferably squared portions 33 and 34 are of a dimension such that they are freely insertable through the opening Il inthe upper surface of the valve core III. and the surfaces of said portions slidably engagerthe walls deilning the said opening, it being obvious that as the. valve stem 23 is rotated in a manner to.be hereinafter described, such'rotation of the valve stem will be'transmitted to the valve core to rotate the same, and that reciprocation of the valve stem 23 will cause the inclined surfaces of the section 33 of said valve stem to engage the opposite walls dening the opening Il to rock or tilt said valve core about the trunnion I3 into and out of contact with the valve seat 3. As a novel and eiective means for converting a portion of the reciprocating movements of the valve stem 28 into a vpartial rotary movement, I cut into the wall deiining the bore or chamber I5, a pair of diametrically-opposed grooves or slots, each of which includes a lower straight and 20 vertical portion 35 and an upper curved or shortspiralled portion 36, the distance between the opposed bottom walls defining these two grooves. being slightly greater than the length of the pin 32, and the width of each of ysaid grooves being slightly greater than the diameter of the said pin. The upper end oi' eachof the groove portions 36 is disposed in a vertical plane positioned approximately ninety degrees with respect to a vertical plane including the straight portions 35, and, hence, as the pin 32 moves from the upper ends of the groove portion 36 to the straight portions 35, or fromthe straight portions 35 to the l upper ends of the'groove portions 36, it will be obvious that the valve stem 23 is rotated a. quarter of a. turn, i. e., through an arc of ninety degrees.

Referring now to the manner of assembling the various component partsabove described, the ilrst step of such assembly consists in inserting the valve core I0 within the `valve chamber 5 40 with the trunnion I3 disposed within the recess 9 and with the flow passage. I I through-the valve core I0 alined with the passages 6 and 1. The

valve stem 23 is then inserted through the lower,

open endl of the bore orchamber I5 in the valve 45 body or casing section 2 and is pushed upwardly until the pin 32 'is disposed near the upper end of the groove portions 3B. Packing 2li is then placed within the packing socket I3 and thefol-g' lower 2ll is screwed down into the socket to com- 50 press the said packing into uid-tight contact with section 33 of the valve stem. A pressure grease gun is then applied to the iitting I3 and the grease compartment I6 filled with lubricating grease under pressure, which grease gradually 55 worksA up and down along the valve stem to properly lubricate the said valve stem. The Y valve wheel or handle 21 is then screwed onto the threaded section 29 of the valve stem, and the two-part support or spider 22 is bolted toe0 gether so that its lower portion engages within the groove I9 audits upper portion engages within the groove in the hub portion 26 of the valvewheelor'handle 21. The upper section 2- of the valve body or casing I is then superimposed upon `c.; the lower valve body or casing section 3 with the lowermost end of the straight, squareportion 3l of the valve stem passing through the opening I 4 in the upper surface of the valve core I0. The studs or bolts 4 are then applied to rigidly main- 70 tain the sections 2 andl 3 in assembled relation. Referring now to the operation of the valve construction described in detail above, and assuming that the valve is in open position as shown in Fig. 1 of the .accompanying drawings, rotation 75 ofthe valve-wheel or handle 21 in a clockwise direction will cause the valve stem to move downwardly toward the valve core, which downward movement will cause the pin 32 -to follow the curved or spiralled groove portion 36, thus rotating the valver stem 23 through an arc of ninety degrees. Due to the non`rotativebut slidable connection between the lower, squared end 34 of the valve stem and the valve core, this quarter revolution of the valve stem 23 will cause a I quarter revolution of the valve core III, thus moving the valve core I0 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2. When the valve core reaches .the position shown in Fig. 2, it will be obvious that continued downward movement of the valve stem effected by the rotation o! the valve-,wheel or handle 21, will cause the inclined surfaces of the valve stem section 33 to engage the opposed walls deilning the opening Il in the upper surface of the valve Vcore III, this continuous downward movement of the stem being eijiective, through the provision of the inclined section 33, to rock the valve core I0 about its trunnion I3 to thus force the valve face I2 into rm sealing or seating contact with the valve seat 8, whereupon the valve is fully closed and the component parts thereof assume the positions shown in Fig. 4.

It is to be particularly noted that during the downward movement of the valve stem 28, the

, engagement between the pin 32 and the groove or slot portions 35 and 36 deilnitely controls the movements of the valve stem and the valve core actuated thereby, i. e., the pin 32 in moving from the upper end of the groove or slot portion 33 to the upper end of the straight groove or slot section 35, causes the valve stem to rotate a quarter turn. When this quarter turn of the valve stem and valve core has been completed, the pin 32 is located a't the op of the straight groove or slot portion 35 and his engagement between the said pin and said straight groove or slot portion 35 ydefinitely prevents further rotation of the valve stemand valve core lbut permits said valu stem to move toward the valve core to effect the tilting or rocking movement thereof.

When it is desired to open the valve to permit the ilowvof fluid therethrough, i. e., when it is desired to move the, valve from the closed position shown in Fig. 4 to the open position shown in Fig. l, a counterclockwise rotation is imparted to the valve-wheei or handle 21, which causes the valve stem 23 to rise. During the initial lup- Ward movement of the valve stem, the engagement between the inclined surfaces 'of thestem section 33 and the walls deiining the opening I4, will cause the valve core I0 to tilt or rock away from the valve seat 8, it being noted that during this initial upward movement of the valvestem. -the pin 32 is disposed within the straight groove portion -35 and, hence the valve stem is heid against rotation. The valve core then occupies the position shown in Fig. ,2. Continued upward movement of the valve stem 23 causes the pin 32 to enter the curved or spiralled groove portion 36 and, hence, the valve stem will be rotated a quarter turn, thereby causing the valvev stem are determined by contact of the land section f3! with the end wall of -the bore or chamber I 5. as seen in Fig. 1, and with the top surface of the valve core as seen in Fig. 4.

It will be noted from the above description of construction 4and operation that throughout the then, by a reversal "Nelle rotation of thevalvewheel or handle 21, immediately forced again into contact therewith, thereby permitting the "cracking of the valve to, any degree. The valve oi' my present invention is notable for its extreme simplicity of construction and operation, it being noted that there are only three moving parts, i. e., the valve core, the valve stem and the f. valve wheel or handle.

It is to be understood that the i'orm of my ini vention shown and described herein is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and that various changes may be made in the size, shape and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope `of the subjoined claims. For example, it

will be obvious to one skilled in the art that,

means other than a rotary hand wheel could readily be employed to eiiect the vertical movements of the valve stem; that a pailj of opposed grooves could be provided on the valve stem and that`pins or other projections could be provided on the valve section 2; that the speciilc form of the two-part valve body could be readily charged or modified; and that other obvious changes can be made in thedevice, which would provide a valve construction embodying the essential 'A tures of my present invention.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A valve comprising a valve body having an inlet and an outlet opening and a valve chamber communicating with said openings; a valve core fea- ' journaled within saidV chamber for rotary andVV tilting movements therein, said valve core having la non-circular opening. through a wall thereof; a

engaging the wallsdeilning the opening in the valve core, 'said non-circular section including a straight walled portion and a portion having opposed walls inclined with respect to the axis of rotation of the valve-core; and means for rotating and reciprocating the valve stem, rotation of the valve stem causing a corresponding rotation of the valve core, and the sliding engagement between the inclined portion of said valve stem' and the walls deilning the opening in said valve core causing the valve core to tilt about an axis transverse to the axis of rotation of said valve core. i

2. A valve comprising a valve body having an inlet and anoutlet opening and a valve chamber communicating with said openings; a valve core journalled within said chamber for rotary and tilting movements therein; a valve stem non-rotatably engaging the valve core and movable axially with respect thereto; a pin and helical slot connection between said valve stem and valve body for converting a portion of the axial movement of the valve stem into rotary movement, rotation of the valve stem veliecting a correspond- 75 tact with said valve body around one of said valve stem having a non-circular section slidablyA ing rotation of the valve core; ari-inclined sur-l openings: and means for moving said valve stem axially- 3. A valve comprising a valve body having an inlet and an outlet opening and a valve chamber communicating with said openings; a valve seat surrounding one of said openings; a valve core journaled within said chamber for rotary and tilting movements therein; a'valvestem non-rotatably engaging 1the valve corel and movable axially with respect thereto; a projection onA said valve stem; a groove in said valve' body forengagement by said projection and comprising a straight portion and a helical portion; means for moving said valve stem axially, the engagement between the projection and straight portion of said groove causing straight axial movement ot said valve stem, and the engagement between said projection and helical portion' of said groove causing said valv'e stem and the valve core to rotate; and an inclined surface on the valve stem adapted to engage the valve core during axial movement of the valve stem during the period when the projectionl is engaged within the straight portion of said groove for causing straight axial movement of said valve stem to,rv

said valve stem comprising a straight upper portion, an intermediate portion having substantially parallel. opposed walls inclined with respect to the axis of the valve stem, and a straight lower portion extending axially of the valve stem, said intermediate and lower straight portions non-rotatably engaglng'said valve core; a transverse pin projecting from opposite sides of the upper straight portion oi' said valve stem; a pair ci' similar, opposed grooves in said valve body for engagement by said pin, each groove comprising a straight portion and a helical portion; and means for moving said valve stem axially, the engagement between said pin and the straight portions oi said grooves causing straight axial movement of said valve stem, the engagement between said pin and the helical 'portions of said groove causing said valve stem and the valve core to rotate, the engagement between one inclined wall of the intermediate portion of said valve stem and thevalve core causing the straight axial movement of said valve stem` to tilt said valve core into contact with said valve seat during movement of said valve stem in one direction, and the engagement between the other inclined wall of the intermediate portion of said valve stem. and the valve core causing the straight axial movement oi' said valve stem to, tilt said valve core away from said valve seat during movement of said valve stem in the opposite direction.

5. A valve comprising a valve body having an inlet and an outlet opening and a valvechamber communicating with said openings; a valve core journaled within said chamber for rotary and tilting movements therein, 'said valve core havin'g a non-circular opening through a wall thereof: a valve stem having a non-circular section slidably engaging the walls dening the opening in the valve core. said Ynon-circular section-including a Vstraight walled portion and a portion having opposed walls inclined with respect to the axis of rotation of the valve core; a pin and helical slot connection between said valve stem and valve body `for converting a portionof the axial movement of the valve stem-into rotary movement, rotation oi the valvestem causing a corresponding rotation of said valve core, and the sliding engagement between the inclined portion of said valve stem and the walls deiinlng the opening in said valve core causing the valve core to tilt about an axis transverse to the axis of rotation of said valve core; and means for moving said valve stem axially. j

6. A valve comprising a valve body having an inlet and an outlet `opening and a valve chamber communicating with said openings; a valve 'core journaled within said chamber for rotary and tilting movements therein, said valve core 20 having a non-circular opening through a wallbetween the pin and the straight portion of the slot causing straight axial movement of the valve stem throughout the extent of' relative axial 35 movement between the inclined 'wall portions of the stem andthe walls deiining the opening in the valve core, the engagement between the pin and the helical portionof the slot causing lsaid valve stem and the valve core to rotate, and the sliding engagement between the inclined portion 40 of said valve st'em andthe'walls dening the Y opening in said valve core-causing the valve core toV tilt about an axis transverse to the' axis ot ro- "tation of said valve core; and means for moving 45 said valve stem axially; l f

.l 7. A valve comprislng'a valve body having an inlet and an outlet opening and a valve chamber communicating with said openings; a valve core journaled within saidchamber for rotary and tilting movements therein, ,said valve core having a non-circular opening through a wall thereof; a valve stem, the lower end oi. which is noncircular in cross-section and has sliding, non;- rotary engagement with the ,walls deining the opening in the valve core, said end comprising a straight walled portion offset laterally with respect to the remainder of the stem and a portion having opposed walls inclined with respect.

to the axis of said stem; and means for rotating and reciprocating the valve stem, the rotation of the valve stem causing a corresponding rotation of the valve core when the straight walled portion of the stem is in engagement' with the walls deiinlng the valve core opening, and the sliding engagement between the inclined portion of the stem and the walls defining said open` -lng causing the valve core totilt aboutan axis transverse to the axis of rotation of said valve" core. o

8; A valve comprising-a valvebody having an inlet and an outlet opening and a valve chamber communicating with said openings; a valve seat surrounding one of v'said openings, a valve core journaled within said chamber for rotary and tilting movements therein; a valve stem nonrotatably engaging the valve core and movable axially with respect thereto; a pin and helical slot connection between said valve stem and valve body, said slot comprising a straight por-'- tion parallel to the axis of rotation of the valve core and a helical portion terminating in a plane normal to a plane including the said straight portion; means for moving said valve stem axially, the engagement between the' pin and straight portion of'said slot causing straight axial movement of said valve stem, and the engagement bei tween said `pin and helical portion of said slot causing vsaid valve stem and the valve core to rotate a quarter of a turn; and an inclined surface on said valve stem adapted to engage the valve vcore during engagement between the pinv and straight portion of said slot for causing the straight axial movement oi.' -said' valve stem to tilt said valve cox'elntoV contact with said valve seat. A

AIJ'REDG. -HEGGENL 

